Egypt was allegedly prepared to permanently open the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, given the recently-inducted Palestinian unity government assume authority of the terminal, Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported on Saturday.

Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi was due to discuss the issue with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Ma'an reported a senior Egyptian official as saying.

The official told Ma'an that the prospect signaled Cairo's intentions to support reconciliation between the rival Palestinian factions.